Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Braces. Yep, you heard me. Braces.

I'm 52 years old...and yesterday I got braces. Two hours at the orthodontist and I've got a mouth full of metal and ceramic and I look sooooo handsome.

NOT.

That is not actually a photo of me...but it looks exactly like mine. Ceramic brackets on top with metal on the bottom. And one tooth without a bracket on the bottom. And my reasons for getting braces are just like this example...overcrowding on the bottom. So, like this person, the tooth without the bracket will be "excised" next Monday and will allow space for the teeth around it to close up and straighten.

Excise is a nice word, huh? Much better than pull....or yank. But that will be Step #2 next Monday.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying a lot of pudding and mashed potatoes and applesauce. The soreness is definitely there...but the biggest issue is that my top teeth can't close all the way against my bottom teeth. So even if things weren't sore, I still would not be able to chew. I've been reassured this is normal and will resolve itself. I hope that resolution happens soon!

So is the soreness and the lack of chewing the biggest problem? Nope. The biggest problem is that I'm 52 years old and yesterday I got braces! Some things you just think you left behind when you were a teenager. But nope, it is never too late.

And does my vanity kick in? Oh yes. I'm quite certain that my awesome natural good looks just won't hide the fact that I have braces. However, my wife did say I looked "adorable".

OH, the memories! I had braces for 3 YEARS to fix some massive issues with my teeth. I still have a permanent retainer on the bottom...

They aren't so bad, once you get used to them. Really. Of course, brushing your teeth becomes an exercise in frustration, but if you have beautiful straight pearly whites at the end of it, it is worth it...

I had a problem with overcrowding in my bottom teeth, too, so I ended up with an expander when I was 10. Despite that, my mouth is barely large enough for the 28 teeth that are left (my four wisdom teeth having been "excised," of course).

I could go on and on with orthodontia-related horror stories (considering I had two phases of braces, which included just about everything but head gear), but I don't want to scare you. ;) Besides, I'm sure your experience won't be so bad - my teeth were (and the very back ones still are) pretty crooked.

Bravo for taking that step! Yeah, it's supposed to be braces and pimple cream, not braces and wrinkle cream, right? Still, there'll be a straight smile lurking under all the metal in there and I'm sure that it'll be worth the trouble and inconvenience.

I got mine on almost exactly a year ago at 42 (mine looked like that picute, too) and am almost done. I find out next week when they're coming off. That time will come for you quicker than you think!